FIVE (the concept of number/figure FIVE)
The number “five” has been frequently used in various Sikh institutions. Conceptually speaking, there is no importance of the figure “5” in Sikhism.
It is mere co-incidence that there are Punj Piaray or there are five elements (of which human body is made of) or there are Punj Kakaars;
or in Hinduism, there were five Pandavs or there are five sins or five weapons or there is Punj Ishnana (to wash two hands, two feet and mouth)
or there are five Namaz(s) in Islam.
In Sikhism “Punj / 5” means nothing specific or special.
In Sikhism, no figure, letter, name, time, day, date, direction, place, or colour etc. is of any spiritual or specific value. [On the other hand, all the times, dates, moments, are auspicious for a Sikh for meditating upon His name].
Had figure 5 been of any regard, there would have been only five (and not ten) Guru Sahib, five Kurahits and five hundred pages of Guru Granth Sahib and five stanzas in each Bani and so on.
In Japji Sahib (Guru Granth Sahib, p.3), Guru Nanak Sahib has used the word Punch. It does not mean figure 5. It means pious persons or noble beings and not “five persons’.
(Dr Harjinder Singh Dilgeer)